Have you asked?
Is there an area of your life where you’re longing for a breakthrough but it’s just not happening? It could be that there’s a barrier of some kind between you and God that’s preventing it. Or it could be that you just need to ask him. James 4:2 says: “You have not, because you ask not.” Our all-knowing, all-powerful, all-loving heavenly Father may simply be waiting for you to come before His throne of grace and ask for His help with something you can’t do on your own strength.
What's missing?
But that’s part of the problem, isn’t it? Our strength. Our ingenuity. Our independence. We’ve chased it our whole life. It’s what we were told and encouraged by our parents. It’s what we want for our kids and what we teach our kids: to be responsible, independent, hardworking, successful adults. While all of those are good things for life in this world, God wants us to understand and to experience that dependence on Him is what He desires from us. Prayer is God inviting us to depend on Him.
Have you forgot?
This lesson isn’t easily learned, especially in our self-sufficient “I can do it” world. Even Jesus’ disciples learned this lesson the hard way: after failure. While they started out depending on God’s power to break through (and they saw amazing things happen!), as time passed they grew more confident in themselves and forgot that it was God alone who could do the impossible (Mark 9:29). God wants us to grow in our dependence upon Him: to come to him in prayer, again and again, and seek His help.
Our hope for that God will use this forty-day study to infuse your prayer life with new power and passion, and as a result, you will see God's hand working mightily in and through your life in supernatural ways.
How to make the most of this 40-day Only by Prayer series
1. Pray for breakthroughs
Ask God to bring about significant spiritual breakthroughs in your life, group, or church.
2. Hear the six messages
Week 1 | I Can’t, But God Can – Mark 9:14-29, Pastor Dave Gudgel
Week 2 | Banking on Mercy – Psalm 51, Pastor Dan Stockum
Week 3 | In Over Your Head – Pastor Steve Durand
Week 4 | Why Bother? – 1 Samuel 1:1-20, Pastor Steve Durand
Week 5 | The Struggle is Real – Gen. 3:22-32, Pastor Dan Stockum
Week 6 | Great Expectations – James 5:17-18, Pastor Dave Gudgel
3. Participate in a Small Group
While joining a small group is highly encouraged for this series, it’s not required. You can watch the Sunday Messages, do the personal devotions, view the weekly teaching videos on your own. But, if you can, we’d encourage you to join or form a small group and make the most of the group discussions and videos.
4. Use the Study Guide
The 40-day study guide, written by the teaching pastors of Bridges Community Church in Los Altos, Ca, Each study guide includes the 40-Day Personal Devotions, group notes and discussion questions, and six weekly Devotions for Families. The ONly by Prayer study guides can be purchased here.
5. See the six discussion videos
Week 1 | Reliant
Week 2 | Repentant
Week 3 | Desperate
Week 4 | Fervent
Week 5 | Persistent
Week 6 | Expectant
This complete six week series for churches or groups includes
Weekly Sermons
Teaching pastors will prepare and teach these sermons on their own, to go along with the six topics covered in the Only by Prayer study guide. This will enable them to speak from their hearts directly to the topics in a way that will connect most appropriately with their local church.
Forty Days of Personal Devotions
Forty short devotions for individuals to do on their own, take participants deeper into the topic of each week. Day One begins on the day of the first sermon. These devotions are included in the Only by Prayer study guide.
Small Group Discussions
These can happen in existing classes or home groups, and also in additional groups that are started specifically for this series for those who aren’t already in a class or small group. Each small group session includes a short video (available above) and discussion questions (included in the Only by Prayer study guide).
Forty Days of Personal Devotions
Forty short devotions for individuals to do on their own, take participants deeper into the topic of each week. Day One begins on the day of the first sermon. These devotions are included in the Only by Prayer study guide.
Available Resources
Only by Prayer Study Guide includes: small group intro, video notes, and discussion questions, 40-days of personal devotions, and six weekly family devotions
PDF 40-Day Devotional Downloads with fillable boxes:
– Week One: Reliant
– Week Two: Repentant
– Week Three: Desperate
– Week Four: Fervent
– Week Five: Persistent
– Week Six: Expectant
– Weeks One- Six: Family Devotions